A site tracing the Catholic life and history of the Ancient Kingdom of Gwent, now known as Monmouthshire,UK from Silurian times. Linked to Mary in Monmouth download free from iTunes Store or RSS feed at end of this blog.Also MaryinMonmouth Group of Face book. Photographs of interesting places. Some Catechesis.Strength of site is in tracing obscure Gwentian saints and martyrs and digging out gems from forgotten sites.Some photographs by Chris Tottle are copyright. Sites in Welsh Marches.

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ST DAVID's CANONISATION 1120AD

WALES WIDE PILGRIMAGE IN 2020 to celebrate a thousand years since his canonisation!-using old pilgrim routes!!!

Come to the Waters....

Whoever drinks the water I will give him will never thirst, indeed the water I give him, will become in him a spring of water, welling up to Eternal Life....John 4:14

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Ancient Cwmbran and the Cistercians

St Derfel, Patron Saint of Cwmbran

Followers

St Michael as a Centaur, fighting on the side of Peter and the Church

Liam Neeson played this int he film

PODCAST IMMINENT OF THE VISIT OF THE RELICS TO CARDIFF

I took recordings of the various Masses and liturgies in the Church as the relics were being received in Cardiff on Tueday and have only lightly edited them. I was doubly glad so many people, who were not able to get in and hear the service of reception and so forth will have the possibility of listening to the Masses for Priests and Vocations, Evangelisation, and personal sanctity, Angelus, Rosary , Litany and Benediction. It was extremely crowded, but I think it captures all the excitement of that day when thousands descended on Cardiff, clapped the little saint for her Christian witness and brought her candles, red roses and many other flowers, incense and beautiful music at the evening Mass.People streamed in until the Cathedral closed at Midnight, and devotions continued all evening, with people praying for conversion of sinners, confessions, praying for priests and praying that all would accept Jesus as their personal friend and Saviour. A Mediaeval style day none will forget. And Bravo to the superb organist!

Dominicans Today buiding a new Friary in US

Procession of Friars

PODCASTS RESUMING SOON AFTER COMPUTER PROBLEMS

I am resuming podcasting later this week or next, because I hade two computer crashes and have had little time to find all the things I need to resume it. I apologise to all the fans of the podcast and all the emails.You can download them from the rss address on this blog, or even via iTunes. Many people like listening on long car journeys! There are some interesting topics coming up.So keep posted.

Dominican Friars

At Chapter

SANCTUS ILTUTUS

St Illtyd , the great Educator

St Ia sculpted by Oberammergau Sculptor

In the Catholic Church. St Ives

Spring in St Ives

The time in Bredon is

Listen free Online to the new podcast!My Pilgrimage to St Winifride's Well

Title Page of the Idylls of the King

Looking for a Quiet Peaceful holiday in a beautiful area of France?

Directions to Capel y FFin

Main road from Abergavenny to Hereford, (or Hereford to Abergavenny if coming the other way!!)Turn off to Llanvihangel Crucorney. Pass Skirrid Inn.Turn LEFT to Llanthony Priory and stay on that road, past priory and up the mountain until you come to Capel y Ffin. Turn Left to monastery, but monastery is in private hands and so you must ask permission to view. On pilgrimage days parking in designated field kindness of Mr and MRs Watkins.

St Illtyd at Gorslas, Camarthen

The Ancient Yew Tree of Mamhilad

DO YOU KNOW WHY BISHOPS WEAR POINTY HATS CALLED MITRES?

Because they represent the flames which came upon the Apostles when Jesus met them to give them these gifts and the organisation of his Church. There was a great Wind and flames of fire, and we are told they settled on the Heads of the Apostles. When the Apostles appointed their successors, the Bishops they received this headwear to remind them they are the descendents of the Apostles of Christ himself, who founded his church on the rock of Peter.

Link to Mary in Monmouth Blog at Libsyn and Show notes

Early British Kingdoms and Saints .

Benedictine Abbey of Bec in Normandy

Monks from here built the Priory of St Mary Magdalene in Goldcliff. The local church is still dedicated to this saint. The Church was built there after the Tsunami of 1607 which destroyed what was left of the Priory.

Truth about Relics

Relics have often been a stumbling block for people trying to understand the church. It is no different than keeping a special photo, item or clothing etc from a loved one when they have passed on. Kissing a picture or reverencing it, lighting a candle next to it or putting a poppy by it on remembrance day, just brings them alive again to you, shows them honour and respect. In the case of relics, if you can ask a living person to pray for you, then we can ask the souls who have made it to heaven to pray for us too, Having a small item which has actually touched their body or even a part of that body brings them especially close to them. The Holy Spirit has completely infused their body, So you ask this person to add their prayers to yours up above, and sometimes there are miracles as a result, although it is the prayer to Almighty God that works the miracle if there is to be one and it is his Will.

Apostles and Martyrs

Bernadette and Our Lady

Our Lady of Lourdes in Tredegar!

Saint Tewdrig /King Theoderick

An Internet bereavement Commemoration

Head of Our Lady from a fresco in the Gunter House, Abergavenny

Secret Masses were said here in times of Persecution 17th century

Hello! The first ten pictures

The first ten pictures are from Llandaff Cathedral or Abbey Church of Our Lady and St Teilo, Then there are some from Mathern Church. Please download the Internet podcast Mary in Monmouth to hear the programmes at maryinmonmouth free from iTunes. This programme is FREE as well. So just type the title Maryinmonmouth into the Store Window and you will find it then subscribe! Automatic after that!Big pictures and feeds and links are at the VERY BOTTOM of the blog! Sorry! Mary

About Me

Evelyn Nicholson is a professional singer who has sung with all the major opera companies as principal soprano.Evelyn has begun her blog influenced by her father's love of the ancient Kingdom of Gwent and to foster a defence of misconceptions about the Catholic Faith.She is a qualified catechist of the Catholic Faith.

Message to the Faithful of Wales from Pope Benedict

On behalf of the Catholics of Wales, and of Wales itself, I am immensely privileged to offer you our most sincere sentiments of loving respect and deep appreciation of all that you do for the building of God’s Kingdom on earth.

Our joy that you are here in Britain is tempered by our disappointment that you cannot visit Wales on this occasion. But that regret is itself a sign of our esteem for you and your ministry of love in truth, Caritas in Veritate.

We are delighted that you are reaching out to Wales by lighting the candle held by Our Lady of Cardigan as she presents to us her Son as the light of the world.

That light is reflected to us by all those who have lived open to God’s love, people who are represented by St. David, the Patron of Wales. In blessing this mosaic dedicated to St. David you remind modern Wales we must not forget the Christian values that formed this nation of Wales throughout its history.

[Here he presented the book of William Davies’ 'Y DRYCH CRISTIONOGAWL']

I have great pleasure in presenting to Your Holiness a striking reminder of those who have gone before us. Blessed William Davies wrote a book of Catholic devotion called ‘Y Drych Cristionogawl’- ‘The Christian Mirror’, which was the first book published in Wales. The romantic story of its being printed in a cave on a remote seashore has entered the folklore of Wales, and it speaks to us of a people who loved the Catholic Faith, and were prepared to sacrifice all for the one thing necessary, the love of God in truth.

This facsimile printed this year of a book printed in 1588 calls us to the same witness as we see in the lives of Blessed William Davies and the other Welsh martyrs, Catholic and Protestant.

POPE BENEDICT'S MESSAGE TO WALESWestminster Cathedral, Chapel of St Paul, Saturday, 18 September 2010
Dear Bishop Regan,
Thank you for your very warm greeting on behalf of the faithful of Wales. I am happy to have this opportunity to honour the nation and its ancient Christian traditions by blessing a mosaic of Saint David, the patron saint of the Welsh people, and by lighting the candle of the statue of Our Lady of Cardigan.

Saint David was one of the great saints of the sixth century, that golden age of saints and missionaries in these isles, and he was thus a founder of the Christian culture which lies at the root of modern Europe. David’s preaching was simple yet profound:little things his dying words to his monks were, “Be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things”. It is the little things that reveal our love for the one who loved us first (cf. 1 Jn 4:19) and that bind people into a community of faith, love and service. May Saint David’s message, in all its simplicity and richness, continue to resound in Wales today, drawing the hearts of its people to renewed love for Christ and his Church.

Through the ages the Welsh people have been distinguished for their devotion to the Mother of God; this is evidenced by the innumerable places in Wales called “Llanfair” – Mary’s Church. As I prepare to light the candle held by Our Lady, I pray that she will continue to intercede with her Son for all the men and women of Wales. May the light of Christ continue to guide their steps and shape the life and culture of the nation.

Sadly, it was not possible for me to come to Wales during this visit. But I trust that this beautiful statue, which now returns to the National Shrine of Our Lady in Cardigan, will be a lasting reminder of the Pope’s deep love for the Welsh people, and of his constant closeness, both in prayer and in the communion of the Church.